July 29, 2011

With the increasing and ever-changing world of electronics comes the problem of electronic waste. E-waste that is not responsibly recycled or thrown away often ends up in developing countries where the people and environment are exposed to toxins. LG Electronics just announced it will be using third-party certification to verify how its electronic waste is certified worldwide.

LG will be the first e-Stewards Enterprise which means it will give preference to recyclers that meet the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment. The standard was developed by the non-profit Basel Action Network which works to prevent the export and dumping of electronic waste in developing countries.The e-Stewards standard also calls for protection of private data and health safeguards to ensure workers in recycling plants are not exposed to toxic dust.

LG has more than 120 operations in five countries. In 2010, the company recycled over 8 million pounds of home electronics free of charge to consumers. Just last week, the U.S. government unveiled a report which outlines electronics purchasing and recycling guidelines for the federal government.